With each vintage, we combine cultural practices such as pruning and trellis arrangement, in tandem with efforts such as spraying and irrigation to produce grapes with just the right intensity of flavor and chemical balance. At the end of every vintage, we reflect back with pride – and sometimes astonishment – at the season. Select a vintage note from the menu to learn more about a particular vintage year.

A Finger Lakes harvest that ends a week after the season’s first snowfall is not so surprising once you know the whole story. Harvest 2017 got started a good two- to two-and-half weeks later than usual, due to a number of variables. Weather is a big reason, but it’s not limited to the weather of just 2017! All of the more»

The 2016 season began much cooler and dryer than normal providing ample time to finish pruning, tying, and hilling down in March and April. Bud-break was in the first week of May, with very little rain. From May 10th through the second week in August there was no rain, lots of sunshine, and reasonably high temperatures. August however, was off more»

The harsh winter of 2013/2014 left its mark on the vineyard going into 2015 with overall production estimates down about 30%, due mainly to bud mortality but also some vine mortality. The 2015 vintage started with a very wet June that caused nitrogen release from the soil to be inhibited; a good thing as it helped reduce overall vine size. more»

Despite a harsh winter, a cool spring and a wet summer, a warm, sunny and very dry autumn allowed the 2014 vintage to be much better than expected. The record-breaking low temperatures during the winter resulted in some vine damage that decreased our overall production. Due to the cold spring, budbreak arrived about a week late in mid-May and the summer was more»

The winter of 2013 was average in terms of cold temperatures and we did not experience any extremes. Overall bud damage was minor with bud break close to normal in the beginning of May. Warming occurred slowly with no spring frosts with somewhat cloudy and rainy weather during bloom and fruit set. On average, the growing season was wetter than normal (+15%) more»

The 2012 growing season in the Finger Lakes was exceptional. With good fruit set, warm weather and just sufficient rain, a solid crop achieved full ripening. Red and white wines exhibit excellent varietal expression with the reds having the darkest color in years. Warm temperatures in mid-March brought some varieties out of dormancy four to six weeks earlier than normal more»

The 2011 season provided an exceptional harvest. The season started quite wet in the spring but was followed by a warm (not overly hot) and mostly dry summer – generally excellent conditions for our grapes. Following the mild winter, crop yields were approaching normal and fruit quality was excellent. September brought more rain than anticipated and this had the effect more»

Sheldrake Point escaped a hard frost in mid October 2009 and leaves stayed on quite late with consequently good periderm development and winter acclimation. The winter of 2009/2010 was relatively mild with good bud hardiness. The 2010 growing season started in early April with warm weather in the 70s and mid 80s and vines emerged from dormancy three weeks or so more»

The 2009 vintage followed another easy winter with neither vine damage nor bud mortality. Spring came early and stayed relatively dry as the vines pushed early with bud break on May 3 and bloom about mid-June. June and July were both were warmer than average but not unusually wet and the vintage was enjoying ideal conditions. Veraison started in the early varieties more»

The average temperature for April was unusually warm and the vines pushed early with bud break on May 1. May was cooler than average but even so bloom was also early about June 16. June and July were both were warmer than average but unusually wet (lower solar radiation). Veraison started in the early varieties about August first and was more»

The 2007 vintage constitutes another new experience for this Finger Lakes vintner. Sun and solar radiation are the hallmarks of the year – lots of both – reminiscent of 1998 and 2001 and perhaps 1999. In terms of degree-days we are about even with 2005 at 2807 as of October 22 and 15% more than 2006. And as in 2001, more»

The 2006 season provided an exceptional harvest. The season started quite wet in the spring but was followed by a warm (not overly hot) and mostly dry summer – generally excellent conditions for our grapes. Following the mild winter, crop yields were approaching normal and fruit quality was excellent. September brought more rain than anticipated and this had the effect more»

Harvest 2005 was short and intense. Our team began the harvest with the Pinots (Gris and Noir) in mid-September and ended just before Halloween with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Our Pinot Noir was harvested at 25 brix – the highest ever recorded here at SPV. The Pinot Gris and Chardonnay were harvested ripe and of good typicity for the varietal. The more»

The 6th harvest of our estate vineyard started on Oct 1, 2004 and we hand picked grapes from all of our 38 acres planted at Sheldrake Point finishing on October 30th. The five acres of our oldest vines planted in 1997 include Pinot Noir, Gamay, Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Our youngest block is one acre of Cabernet Sauvignon now in more»

This is our 5th harvest of our estate vineyard and we will hand pick grapes from all of our 38 acres planted at Sheldrake Point. The five acres of our oldest vines planted in 1997 include Pinot Noir, Gamay, Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Our youngest block is one acre of Cabernet Sauvignon, and this year we will harvest this variety more»